Liquid flow indicator



N0v 2, 1937 M. RUGEL Er AL LIQUID FLOW INDICATOR Filed July '11, 1955 NVENTORS M I A:

y ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 2, 1937 U NH" E. ,if STAT S T OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to liquid flow indicators and it has particular reference to an attachment for the discharge line of a gasoline pump or the like for visibly indicating the flow of liquid there- 5 from.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a housing having sides of transparent material and in which is provided a rotary member actuated by liquid. The invention further provides l0 for the attachment of the housing to the outlet passage of a dispensing pump for gasoline or the like in order that a purchaser may observe the movement of the rotary member, indicating to him that his purchase is actually being delivered into his fuel tank or other receptacle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character specified which is mounted exteriorly of the pump and for this reason, dismantling of the pump is not required nor is it necessary to alter any feature thereof to install the invention.

With the foregoing objects as paramount, the invention has particular reference to its salient features of construction and arrangement of parts to become manifest as the description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:-

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a device constructed according to the present invention with portions broken away.

Figure 2 is a vertical section on lines 2 2 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detailed view of a conventional type of gasoline pump, showing one of the applications of the invention, and

Figure 4 is a modified form of the invention shown in Figure l.

Continuing with a more detailed description of the drawing, I designates the fluid or liquid outlet of the gasoline pump 2, into which is threaded a nipple 3 which is received by one end oi the liquid passage i of the invention.

It is preferred that the invention be constructed out of a single casting composed of any suitable material and this casting embodies a circular housing 5, the edges of which are shouldered as shown in Figure 2 on either side, to receive glass covers B. rEhe covers 6 are held in place by the bezels or rings I, the latter in turn being secured by screws 8. A suitable sealing medium S is interposed between the annular shoulders of the housing and the glass on one side and the bezel 'I and the glass 6 on the other side of the latter. The sealing medium prevents escape of the liquid at the joints and for all practical purposes litharge and glycerin may serve as the sealing medium.

Formed integral with the housing 5 and dependent to a point immediately below the center thereof is a bracket IB, having lateralV braces II. 5 YThis bracket serves as a support for the pivot I2 of the rotary element I3. In the present case this element is comprised of a casting having a plurality of relatively spaced vanes I4 formed integrally with its outer periphery so that they 10 will successively pass through the liquid passage i as apparent in Figure 1. The curvature of these vanes is such that maximum rotation may be imparted to the rotary element I3 by the liquid flowing through the passage 6 as it is transferred l5 from the pump 2 through the said passage 4 and hose I5 to the fuel tank of an automobile.

. The peculiar construction of the rotary element I3 allows for an annular cavity between the vanes I4 and the axis of the said element. The 20 periphery of the cavity is provided with a series of semi-circular recesses I6 and in one of these recesses rests a ball I'I which cannot escape from the cavity.

Obviously, the uid in passing as explained 25 above imparts rotation to the rotary element I3, visibly indicating flow of the liquid and displacing the ball Il, which latter .cannot come to rest in any of the recesses until the rotary element ceases to rotate. As an advertising attraction 30 or otherwise, one of the recesses I6 is identified at I8 with a definite mark.

In Figure 4 is shown a modied example of the invention, diiiering only in that instead of providing the annular recesses and the corre` 35 sponding ball I'I, an arrow or pointer I9 is provided in fixed relation to the rotary element 20 which is actuated by the liquid passing through the passage 2 I. A suitable advertisement may be placed at 22 in Figure 4. 40

Manifestly, the construction shown is capable of considerable modification and such modification as is considered within the scope and meaning of the appended claim is also considered within the spirit and intent of the invention. 45

What is claimed is:

In a liquid flow indicating device, the combination comprising a liquid passage, a circular housing having transparent sides, arranged to be interposed between the point of liquid supply and 50 the point of discharge and having communication with said passage, a wheel whose rotary axis is offset relative to said passage and having spaced, arcuate vanes on its periphery in spaced relationship and rotatably disposed in said hous- 55 2vr Y Q 2,097,535 n W ing whereby said vanes will successively enter and a spherical element arranged to be received said passage to be actuated by the liquid conn one of said depressions upon cessation of roveyed through said passage to visibly indicate the tation of said Wheel.Y

ow of liquid from the supply, an annular flange LENA M. RUGEL. from Which said vanes extend, having in its inner PAUL F. RUGEL. periphery a multiplicity of successive depressions, 

